Most recent articles by Hans Dembowski
-
State and religion in Iran"Shias tend to support the underdogs"
The Shia faith has always been a defining aspect of Iranian nationhood. In the twentieth century, the pro-Western regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi silenced critics and was eventually toppled by a popular revolution with strong religious dimensions in 1979. Tehran's stance has since been basically anti-Western, but that may now be changing. Maysam Behravesh, a political analyst with Tehran Bureau, assessed the nature of the Shia regime in an interview with Hans Dembowski
-
Egypt's Political CrisisDiplomacy's Dilemma
In view of Egypt's severe crisis, western diplomats must focus on two things: human rights and economic prospects for the people. A commentary by Hans Dembowski